AEGIS GROUP'S ASIA/PACIFIC CEO QUITS

Global Chief David Verklin to Take Over Asian Duties

HONG KONG (AdAge.com) -- David Verklin, CEO of Aegis Media Americas, will expand his international role by taking over Asia/Pacific, following the resignation late last week of David Liu, Aegis Group’s CEO of Asia/Pacific for the past two years.

David Verklin is expanding his role to take over Aegis Asia/Pacific operations.

“Asia is thriving and holds much opportunity for Western multinationals. At the current rate, Asia will overtake Europe in ad spend terms in the next three years,” said Mr. Verklin, who will run the region from New York until a replacement has been named, if at all.

'Hard act to follow'
Richard Walters, Aegis Group’s global head of communication in London, said, “David [Liu] will be hard act to follow, but our intention is to get someone else at some point.”

In the meantime, the group’s operations within Asia will be managed by Shanghai-based Thomas Wong, CEO of China and regional director of North Asia; Koh Tai Hong, Carat’s Singapore-based regional director for Southeast Asia; and Richard Halmarick in Sydney, CEO for Australia and New Zealand. The three executives will report to Mr. Verklin.

Mr. Liu said he "picked now to leave because I just turned 50, and if I want to do something else with my life, this is the time.” However, his departure coincides with several other recent high-profile defections. Singapore-based Kim Walker, now president-CEO of Asia for M&C Saatchi, quit as Aegis’ executive director of Asia/Pacific last year, while Andy Lock, Carat’s CEO of Thailand in Bangkok, recently announced he was leaving.

Continuing defections
In the U.S., Charlie Rutman, No. 2 to Mr. Verklin, left Aegis to become CEO of MPG. Bruce Dennler, a longtime executive vice president and acting No. 2 after Mr. Rutman’s departure, recently left to become president of Palisades Media Group in California.

A 26-year-veteran of the ad industry, Mr. Liu joined Carat seven years ago as CEO-Asia/Pacific and has helped build the network into the fifth-largest media agency in the region, according to RECMA. Carat’s clients in Asia include Adidas, BMW, Pernod Ricard, Ferrero and Pizza Hut.